TLDR: Grid (which is shown on Disney+) is a thriller about the General Affairs Bureau and detectives who dig into the truth about a mysterious existence that saved mankind during a crisis. If you have 10 minutes or more, here, Lee Si Young who plays The Ghost, and writer Lee so Yeon talk us through their respective roles.
Tell us about Grid.
Lee So Yeon: Many articles have described Grid as a “mystery chase thriller.” It’s a mouthful of big, intriguing words, but I think it’s accurate as Grid does melt three different genres into a complex plot of a story—at least on the surface. As for me, I went into it with the intention of exploring the same theme as I have in all of my previous work: the question of “how shall we live our lives”, and one of its many branches of answers. Above all, though, I wanted to keep viewers entertained.
The first two episodes raised so many questions. How was it when you read the script? Did you know the whole story before you started shooting or were you kept guessing about the ending when you started to shoot?
Lee Si Young: I’m a big fan of this writer’s previous works, and when I first found (out) about Grid, I was looking forward to seeing the Sci-Fi series written by Soo-Yeon. When I read it, it was just a perfect script, to say the least, and I was very much moved by it. And every scene, I could definitely see everything in front of my eyes and I would say, you know, how amazing it would be if each scene that’s written in the script is realised on screen.
I was so moved and I was so thankful that I’m part of this project. And as he said, the world that was built is larger than you could ever imagine – I could ever imagine. And this series is 10 episodes, but this has got so much more behind what’s seen on screen. There’s so much background information, background stories, and a lot of room for different takes and interpretations, which we found out about through our discussion with the writer herself. And with so much more that’s behind it, it’s large enough to go for 50-100 episodes I would say.
We had that golden chance to find out more about the background story and that was one of the reasons why I felt that I was riding this roller coaster that took turns unexpectedly around every corner.
What’s the story behind the title of Grid?
Lee So Yeon: At first I wanted to title the show “O”, as in a circle. It symbolizes that time is not linear; linearity is an artificial concept built for our convenience, when in fact time and space are continuous without beginning or end. The initial title was a double entendre meant to be read as a circle as well as the letter “O”, but I figured a title should have a single pronunciation to avoid confusion. I eventually went with “Grid” because it’s both the main subject matter and the inciting incident.
Seo Kang Joon as Kim Sae Ha in Grid.
The originality of the subject matter seems to have massively expanded the scope of worldbuilding.
Lee So Yeon: I didn’t start out with the concept of a solar wind crisis, or any other kind of dramatic, apocalyptic scenario. The Ghost, who created the Grid, can travel through time, which allows her to re-emerge 24 years later to protect a murderer. Stories about time warps have been done to death, so to spice things up, the question had to be, “Why would anyone take great pains to time travel to do something like that?”—and it took off from there, little by little.
Also, I wanted to raise awareness of environmental issues. They are addressed in Grid in the form of a solar wind crisis, but the story could have been about global warming or rising sea levels and the stakes would have been just as high.
Lee Si Young as The Ghost in Grid.
You play the role of The Ghost in Grid and it’s supposed to be this mysterious being, so how did you prepare yourself to portray The Ghost as realistically as possible?
Lee Si Young: Well, it was important for me to understand The Ghost that was written by the writer, so her intention and her description. I was able to discuss this with the writer in a very deep manner and I could get to the bottom of the character thanks to all the explanation and discussion with her. And there was one thing I was struggling with about The Ghost in Grid because The Ghost is not just about mystery, there’s something bright about this character too.
And whenever this character encounters something that she likes, she brightens up so quickly – I struggled to portray that side of her. I overcame all of this all thanks to the help of the writer and director because I kept on discussing with the writer before shooting, after shooting, during the shooting — so I was able to do that all thanks to the help of the writer and the great director.
Could you tell us what was the most unforgettable experience during the filming process of Grid?
Lee Si Young: I would say my first shoot was the most memorable experience of this series because it was the closing scene of episode one. This is the first encounter between The Ghost and A-Joong’s character. There are not many encounters between these characters and this was definitely the most important encounter.
Since it was my first shoot and this scene is so crucial in the narrative, we shot the scene all night, and everybody worked so hard on this. The camera that they used for this scene is very special, I’ve never seen that camera before, so I have this fond and quite striking memory of that first shoot.
Kim AJoong as Jung Sae Byeok in Grid.
Can you share with us how you got so immersed in the character of The Ghost in Grid?
Lee Si Young: I have to be honest with you, I was very nervous about taking on this role. It’s not a big role per se, but it carries a lot of weight and it holds the key to the mystery. And also the script that was written was to me, it was a perfect script so I felt even more pressured by it. That is why I relied on the director’s direction and consulted with him a lot.
I usually don’t watch the monitor right after I shoot but this time was different. I was very much involved in the monitoring process and sometimes I say, “I’m very sorry but I want to do it again. Let’s retake.” I had this deep desire to bring about the best in me. I wanted to do it so well.
The role was really good for me and I wanted to do it justice, so it was a nervous and nerve-wracking process.
Kim Muyeol as Song Oh Jin.
You have participated in several action dramas, including Grid, do you enjoy it or would you like to star in other types of drama?
Lee Si Young: For me, action scenes are always fun. It’s more fun every time I try it and I find myself being able to do more things whenever I try it, that’s why I want to try even more of those action scenes. And I filmed some of my action moves in The Grid too and I’m just thankful that I’m given the opportunity to be a part of the action dramas that I love so much.
I’m also a fan of comedy and sitcoms so it’d be great if I can also star in one of those light-hearted, delightful, and funny comedies or sitcoms.
Kim Sung Kyun as Kim Ma Nok in Grid.
Lastly, can you give out some hints about what the series has in store, for the eagerly awaiting fans?
Lee So Yeon: Where do I even begin? The edited version I got to see had no CGI, special effects, or audio effects. There’s going to be a lot of CGI, so I’m looking forward to watching the final product. Oh, and the acting is totally worth the hype. The actors brought their characters to life, even during ordinary scenes. I hope the viewers will share this sentiment, and above all, enjoy the series.
What should the audience look forward to in this series? Is there anything you would like to say to fans?
Lee Si Young: Yes, the story of Grid is not so simple so I would say twist and turns would be two words to describe it because what you see is not everything. There is so much that’s hidden behind what you can see on the big screen and you’d definitely be able to empathise with my character because she had a very tough life. And for the fans, I would say if you’re a fan of a genre with a big universe, then Grid will be a good choice for you and you will not regret it.
Catch Grid on Disney+ here or click here to catch up with our March 2022 issue!
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